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Reading age
12-17
Genre
Horror fiction
Publisher
Delacorte Press
Publication date
July 23, 2024
Maya has a choice to make that could change her life forever.
Maya Rosier, an 18-year-old girl, has been with her girlfriend, Alana Murray, since they were little. However, their relationship is not perfect as Maya starts to realize that Alana’s behavior is causing harm. Before their high school graduation, Maya decides to end their relationship and leaves Alana in Antelope Valley, where they had been hiking together moments earlier. Shortly after, Alana goes missing, and Maya soon discovers that she has died when Alana’s spirit appears to her. Alana still wishes to be with Maya and asks for her help in possessing a recent friend of Maya’s, Rowan. Maya must find a way to banish Alana’s spirit before anyone else gets hurt.
This is the second YA horror fiction book I have read, and it became one of my favorite books of all time. I absolutely adored this author’s writing style, and all of the elements, even the difficult ones, made this book unique. I also found the following quote inspiring: “When someone loves you, they don’t hurt you on purpose. If you think you need them like flames need oxygen, gasping, drowning, I want to tell you that you are wrong. You survive on your own. Nobody else props you up, and nobody else can take credit for your triumph. You are the phoenix. Fire is always fire. It destroys, it obliterates. But you can always rise again.”
Maya is a very relatable and human protagonist. I found myself rooting for her as she grappled with her problems with her anxiety disorder and many other issues. Alana was two-faced but a complex character. Rowan’s quirkiness was endearing, and her unwavering support for Maya was truly admirable.
This book is perfect for horror fiction enthusiasts who appreciate compelling and relatable themes.
My rating
